The Swiss Rejected A Pro-Russian Initiative In A Referendum

It could have limited sanctions against Russia and cooperation with NATO.

Swiss voters rejected an initiative that could have blocked sanctions against Russia. About 70% of Swiss voters voted against a stricter interpretation of neutrality.

Politico Europe reports that Swiss voters rejected an initiative in a referendum that could have limited Bern’s participation in sanctions against Russia. About 70% voted against it; preliminary official data shows 70.15% of votes “against” with a 46% turnout.

In practice, this could have blocked sanctions against Russia, since Moscow has veto power in the UN Security Council. Currently, Switzerland largely aligns its restrictions with those of the European Union and, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has adopted a significant portion of the European sanctions.

The Swiss Federal Council had previously made it clear that, following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Bern had largely adopted the EU’s sanctions. The federal government and parliament recommended rejecting the initiative.

According to Reuters, even before the vote, polls showed strong opposition to the initiative: one of the final polls indicated that about 68% opposed a stricter definition of neutrality. The initiative was supported by right-wing forces and criticized by the government.

What This Means

Switzerland is maintaining its current model of neutrality, under which Bern can decide independently whether to join sanctions and how to structure its cooperation with Western partners. For Moscow, the outcome is unfavorable: the initiative, which could have complicated the sanctions policy against Russia, failed to gain the support of a majority of voters.

The next important issue for Switzerland is arms exports. In November, voters will decide whether to allow arms deliveries to a group of 25 predominantly Western countries, even if those countries are involved in a conflict. Approval of such a decision would strengthen Bern’s ties with its Western partners and support the Swiss defense sector.

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